Luke 23:1-25
Jesus before Pilate and Herod
1Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."
3So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
4Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
5But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."
6On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."
18With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."
23But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
Jesus was taken before Pilate and Herod after His arrest...The assembly of Jews told Pilate, Jesus was subverting our nation, opposed paying taxes to Caesar, and claims to be Christ, a king...I am not sure how He subverted the nation...He never really dealt in the politics of Rome...Jesus had no opinion, or at least we are not told in the gospels, that He wanted to turn people against Rome or the Roman Empire...He did believe in paying taxes (Luke 20:20-26) and paid the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27)...The chief priests are just throwing untruthful accusations out about Him...Pilate asks Jesus if He is the King of the Jews...Jesus answered Pilate, "Yes, it is as you say."...Here Jesus tells us He is King of the Jews...But Pilate does not take this as a sign of guilt, because he tells the chief priests and the crowds that he can find no basis for a charge against this Man...The chief priests trying to convict Him, tell Pilate that "He stirs up the people all over Judea by His teachings...He started in Galilee and has come all the way to Jerusalem."...
So what the chief priests are trying to have Him convicted on, is of His teachings...He taught about God...God is to be the center of our lives...
Pilate asks Jesus, after the chief priests said He started teaching in Galilee, if He was Galilean...When Pilate learned this, he realized that Jesus was also under Herod's jurisdiction...So he sent Jesus to Herod...When Herod saw Jesus he was pleased, because he had heard about Him and wanted to meet Him...Herod ask many questions, but Jesus did not answer...Herod hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle (or miracles)...The chief priests came with Jesus, and were continuing vehemently accusing Him...Herod and his soldiers now mocked and ridiculed Jesus...This day Pilate and Herod became friends...Before this, they were enemies...
The crowd wants Barabbas released...Barabbas was in prison for murder...The crowd wanted Jesus to go to jail and Barabbas released...During Passover sometimes a prisoner was released...
Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate...Pilate tells the crowd and the priests that even Herod sent Him back without any charges...Pilate says He has done nothing to deserve death...He will punish Him, then release Him...But the crowd, "yelled crucify Him, crucify Him."...Pilate asks them what crime has He committed?"...Pilate says that He can find no grounds for the death penalty...More and more shouts continued...The shouts of crucify Him, wins out and Pilate grants their demand...Pilate yields to the demands of the angry, incited crowd...He releases Barabbas and surrenders Jesus to their will...
Jesus must now suffer...He will be punished, whipped, and flogged...He will go to the cross and suffer for us...All of this suffering, He goes through in the next hours, is for us...The crowd and chief priests do not see this (or at least seem not to see this) or understand this...He is our salvation, and He died not only for us, but also the violent crowd, because He loves us...